The Player of the Month award is a Major League Baseball award named by each league every month of the regular season. The National League started recognizing the award on June 4, 1958. National League president Warren Giles conducted a poll of baseball writers in each Major League city and awarded the winner an engraved desk set. The American League did not follow suit until 1974. The National League created a separate award for pitchers starting in 1975 and the American League did likewise in 1979. Pitchers have not been eligible since then.